This invention relates generally to devices for pouring liquid from one container to another for aerating the liquid. More specifically, the invention is directed to a device for flowing wine back and forth between two containers to aerate the wine to improve the taste of the wine.
It is well known in the prior art that the flavor of the wine may be changed and often enhanced by the breathing or aerating thereof. It is believed that aerating softens the tannic acid taste and removes offensive sulphur odors. One common method of doing this is to decap or uncork a bottle and allow the wine to stand in the bottle for a period of time before drinking. However, it is believed that little aeration of the wine to soften the tannins is provided by merely leaving the wine in the bottle. It is also known in the prior art that a liquid may be poured between two containers to increase the aeration of the liquid and change the flavor thereof. So far as it is known, no mechanism has been used in the past to automatically perform such aerating other than the manual pouring of a liquid between two containers. Pouring of wine between two containers is generally not acceptable at a table in a restaurant since this must be done carefully to avoid any splashing and spilling of the wine. A wine is generally served in the bottle at a table in a restaurant which may make it necessary to pour it between two containers since it would generally not be practical to attempt to pour the wine back into the bottle.
A wine should generally be consumed shortly after aeration thereof since the introduction of large amounts of oxygen into the wine may increase the chances of spoilage of the wine if stored for long periods of time after significant aeration of the wine. Generally, in a restaurant the entire bottle or container of wine is consumed so that aeration generally does not present any problem. Certain low price wine may be enhanced significantly in flavor upon aeration so that they may take on a flavor similar to higher priced and higher quality wines. Accordingly, the marketability of many lower price wines may be increased by providing aeration thereof to enhance their flavor. The use of an aerating apparatus at a restaurant table may increase the sale of wine since the customer can watch his wine being aerated.